The Weasley Without the Red Hair
by Elphaba01
Summary: When they met in the back garden. When they played. When they fought. When they were Gryffindors. When they made mistakes. When they tested each other's boundaries. When they were confused. When they were blinded. When they were jealous. Betrayed. Furious. When they loved each other. - Set of drabbles regarding Victoire Weasley and Teddy Remus Lupin -
1. 1 The Caterpillar

**Hello! I just decided to do a little Victoire/Teddy set of drabbles! Some will be longer than others and sometimes not really related to each other, but for now I decided to start with the beginning.**

**So yeah! :)**

* * *

The little girl smiles as the caterpillar crawls along her pale hand, looking at it with amazement. She's overwhelmed at how small it is and the simple life it has – compared to hers, which was a never-ending pile of newspapers.

She tucks a lock of silvery blonde hair behind her ears, focusing on nothing else but the wonderful colours on its body. The beautiful entwining of green, red and purple is so fitting that she almost wants to have skin that colour, too; except it'd look strange.

Arching her eyebrows, she picks up a nearby twig and makes the creature crawl on to it. It takes a couple of minutes for it to latch itself onto it – being not a thin and able bug like the other things she's come across – but she's patient and waits. She knows that she can't stay forever, and is a little bummed out that it can't stay, so she might as well enjoy their last moments together.

It sounds quite silly, when she thinks about it. Befriending a caterpillar. Funny, how her parents has had quite exciting adventures, fighting against evil wizards and witches for a better future while she's here by herself in the back of her garden, feeling thrilled by a caterpillar.

A marvellous caterpillar, at that.

'Hello?' a voice calls distantly as she bites her lip nervously. She doesn't know who it is, but judging by how playful it sounds like she guesses that it must be someone her age.

Thankfully the caterpillar is on the stick now, so she goes to drop it off at a nice green nutritious leaf. "Hello!" the lively voice greets suddenly again – an underestimated loud noise – making her jump and her small friend flying.

'What did you do that for!' she snaps, turning around and crossing her eyebrows.

The boy, whose hair's a delicious pointed turquoise, grins. 'Your mum says you were here.'

'I was in good company, before _you _came here to kick him out,' she says, standing up and placing her small hands around her waist, which isn't at all curvy and slender like her mother's but straight instead. She thinks it looks rather bossy, so she does it anyway to win her new-found argument.

'I didn't see anyone here.' He looks around to prove his point with a shrug.

'Of course you didn't. You didn't look close enough,' she huffs, crossing her arms and turning around to the direction the caterpillar disappeared to. Surely it couldn't have gone too far?

The boy laughs, much to her dislike, and walks by her side. 'I'm sorry about your friend,' he apologises, turning towards her and holding out his hand. 'But I'm Teddy.' When she gives him a look to carry on, he adds, 'Lupin. Teddy _Lupin_.'

'Victoire Weasley,' she says proudly, giving in to her grudge about her caterpillar and smiles. She takes his hand and shakes it, not the intention Teddy seems to have but he goes along with it.

To her surprise, his hair turns from the calm turquoise she just began to like to an icy white. She lets out a giggle as her blue eyes dart from his hair to his face and grins. 'That's amazing,' she says when their handshake is done.

She goes to release his hand but he keeps on holding hers. She doesn't really mind and holds it down to their sides, secretly loving the company she finally feels besides from her sister and brother who are young and far more into doing indoor activities than to explore the outside world.

'How did you do it?' she asks as she leads him deeper into the woods behind her house, Shell Cottage. She always preferred the evergreen colour compared to the dull grey of the sea.

He laughs. 'Sometimes people get freaked out when they see something like this,' he tells her, gesturing at his head. 'Do you like it?'

'Love it,' she assures him, nudging him with her elbow, because she does. To be honest, it out-rules the colours of the caterpillars, even if she refuses to believe so.

'Really?'

'Of course, silly,' she dismisses. 'Who wouldn't want to change what they look like? It must be quite humorous.'

Again, he lets out a laugh as his hair changes to a bubblegum blue, which must reflect his mood – playful. She thinks he must be an overall playful friend to have. 'Are we friends?' she asks before she can stop herself. Being alone to venture is alright, she supposes, but having a sidekick would definitely make it more fun.

'I hope so,' he admits and she smiles.

Because she does, too.


	2. 2 Firecracker

_Well, if it isn't another Weasley! Loyal, I can see. Outgoing... patient, too, with a hint of shyness –_

'Please hurry up,' she sighs, loud enough for everyone to hear. Consequently her face burns bright red due to the laughter she receives, and in an effort to hide she squeezes her eyes shut.

_Shyness? How fascinating. Impatient, too. Huff – _

_No! _she squeals almost instantly in her mind. Realising how snotty it sounds, she adds, _I mean, all my family would be in Gryffindor when they come here. Being the oldest, I need to, you know ..._

Despite her efforts, she knows that the Hat already knows that the only reason she's arguing is because she can't bear to be tore away from Ted again – not after the boredom she went through for the two years they were apart.

'GRYFFINDOR!' the hat roars from above her head almost instantly, and a crowd erupts in cheers. She's grinning as she searches for a certain someone on the table she can sit with, when the headmistress she's forgotten the name of already scowls for her to get up from the stool.

She's too happy to let her naturally rebellious ways strike the old woman and she skips to the table. They're still applauding her and its times like these when she's thankful her massive family isn't here to make it even louder. She's one of the first Weasleys to arrive for a long time, which is obviously a popular name here in Hogwarts.

Even some of the teachers are smirking at some memories, which surprises her. The endless tales of Uncle Ron's days at school were mostly about getting detentions with Aunt 'Mione and Uncle Harry. Sometimes Uncle George would knock a joke about Hogwarts, if he's in the mood.

To her delight, she finds Ted, who's giving a slight wiggle of his fingers in a funny hello way. She lets out a cross between nervous and giddy giggle; she feels all the eyes on her, despite the teacher's efforts to draw their attention to the other new first years.

'I would've thought you'd be a Hufflepuff,' he admits with a pleased smile when she sits herself down. Forcing a grin, she promises herself never to tell how desperately clingy she is to force the stupid hat to sort her in his house. She refocuses on the hat in effort to distract herself as it announces Ravenclaw to a young girl, who's blushing feverishly.

'I thought so too,' she whispers when a family friend and professor Neville Longbottom gives her a questioning frown, 'but I guess Weasleys will always rule the Gryffindor House.'

* * *

Even though she never intended it, it turns out to be true. Two years later she's glugging down a firecracker along with her 11-year-old cousins, Fred and James, who are giddily laughing at the tingly alcoholic feel.

Quidditch, she found earlier that year, turned out to be something she seemed to have a passion for. Before she knew it, Ted had practically shoved her in front of Madame Hooch and demanded for her to try out. To her surprise, she made the team for Keeper.

So she just _has_ to get well and truly _wasted _in her first victory party, right? It isn't _normal _for a Weasley not to get drunk senseless, even though she's only thirteen, going on fourteen.

'Everyone!' she shouts over the booming music, which immediately quietens at her voice. She stands on a stool nearby, making her feel ridiculously important. 'Everyone, I would like to say a speech,' she announces with a proud smile.

The majority of the Gryffindor house cheers; they all know that they would've lost against the Slytherins if it wasn't for her newly-found talent on keeping the Quaffle at bay.

'I wanted to say –' she gets interrupted by her own hiccup, and she giggles for a second before continuing, 'that I'm so thankful that I'm... so thankful –?'

'That doesn't make sense,' calls a deep voice from the back of the room, and she gives him a thumbs up in thanks.

'I _mean _that I love this house so much,' she says, 'and I'm loving the Quidditch!'

Even though they know she's extremely drunk, they applaud her anyway for their glorious win. She feels so looked up to when they all give her smiles and grins and smirks with a wink or a twinkle in their eye. It's like she's actually living up to her parents.

She contemplates whether she should tell them that she's practically 70% Hufflepuff, and then dismisses it. It's her deepest secret – even if she's drunk, not _all_ her senses have vanished.

She spots a spot of turquoise in the room, and instantly yells, 'Hey, Teddo!' although she has never even considered calling him it before. Everyone turns to see a wide-eyed Ted, who froze at the attention. His hair turns into a deep shade of purple, which she knows is a sign of embarrassment.

Of course, being Teddy's closest companion, she knows his colour code off by heart from trial and error. It's funny sometimes, because if his emotions were too overriding, he can't help changing his hair.

'Why are you leaving?' she asked, cocking her head to the side innocently, not understanding in the slightest why he was meaning to go. It was her first played and won proper Gryffindor match, and it meant a world to her.

'Victoire,' he says in a huff with a sort of pleased and forced way, surprised at her tone. Clearly he's feeling self-conscious at all the attention before realising just how tipsy she is. 'Wait, are you – you're _drunk_?'

'I won a match!' she sings, throwing her hands in the air and grinning at him. 'Do you believe it? I did!'

'But you're _drunk_,' he reasons, his hair turning into scarlet. She knows that he was just starting to get angry, which wasn't a type of Ted she likes to see.

'But I wona match, Ted,' she argues, slightly hurt by this, her hands flopping down at her sides. The other Gryffindors fell silent, observing the banter. 'This is very important to me, okay? I can actually _do _something, apart from being some other Weasley.'

'Being a Weasley isn't that bad –' Fred starts before being silenced by Victoire's death glare.

'Well, it isn't for _you_,' she snaps. Maybe being drunk isn't that good, after all. 'You're James's prankster partner. You'll be the next Fred and George extraordinaire, and you're only, what, eleven?'

'Twelve!' James corrects.

'Twelve,' she repeats. 'Twelve years old and they're already destined for greatness. While me? I'm a bloody drunk part-eighth Veela-Weasley girl! Who's not even got _red hair_!' she huffs, holding a piece of her blonde hair to exaggerate her point. 'What's the point in being a Weasley when I can't even _do _anything wonderful, funny or brave? Except _Quidditch_!'

People say they wish to have her looks, but she wants to pounce on them when they do. She's always wanted to have her siblings' and her cousins' zany red hair, because it was different. Crazy, but beautiful. While she looks and _is _a typical blonde – dumb and nothing special.

Except she's _expected _to be special. And she _tries _to be special.

But she isn't.

And never will be.

She realises that she's just announced her private feelings to the whole of her house, which's looking at her with astonished faces, especially Ted. She can see it all in his face – pity, shame, sadness. It makes her blood boil even more with anger, but she holds onto it. She can't humiliate herself more than she already has; now her palms are sweating, her cheeks flaming.

And it's not the alcohol.

But, like always, she plasters on a fake smile. 'But well done Gryffindor!' she chirps as if nothing's happened, while inside she feels wants to throw up with all the emotions churning inside her stomach. Everyone except from Ted, James and Fred thinks that her furious rant is over and the party is on once again, since they cheer. 'I'm a little tired from the match, so I'm off. But have fun, everyone!' she adds and hops off from her stool and up to her dorm, feeling so false it's unbelievable.

Her sight is blurred from tears as she sprints up the steps, but is determined to keep them from flowing until she bursts through the door. Before she can stop herself, a sob escapes her as she sits herself on her bed, her head in her hands.

Nobody even came to see if she was okay, or stop her from going in the first place. Not even Catherine, her roommate and only other friend. Not even James or Fred or Ted.

The mention of Ted make even more tears flow down her cheeks.

* * *

'Listen, I'm sorry,' Ted blurts out to her before she has the chance to flee from the common room. To her surprise, his hair turns into his signature shade of embarrassing purple, and he scratches the back of his head awkwardly.

'Ted –' she begins, but his eyes widen in the tiniest way and he shakes his head quickly.

'No, let me finish,' he says. 'I was an idiot last night for putting you on the spot like that. I know that it's a victory and hey, victory _is_ your name, except in French, so of course you'll celebrate, and you're a Quidditch player and it means a lot to you, and I _know_ what you're like, you don't like people knowing your feelings and how you actually think, but I _do _and I feel so _bad _because I should know that the match was really important to you, despite you being drunk and everything. I know you're disappointed and angry in me but I'm your best friend and –'

'Ted!' she laughs, grinning at the fool that she calls her best friend. He has that look in his eyes that signals "shut-your-face-Victoire-Weasley-I'm-not-finished-in-the-slightest-and-it-is-for-you-anyway", so she decides to give him a push in the right direction; 'Do me a favour, and shut the hell up?'

'What?' Confusion is written all over his face. He's known Victoire for all his life and practically can read her like a book. It's unusual for her to just suddenly forgive people – moreover, _him_ – and even she knows it.

She remembers how upset she was last night, and how frustrated she was at herself for not stopping the tears from flowing. _Weasleys are stronger than this, _she could almost hear her closest aunt, Ginny, comfort her, but it wasn't working. It just kept reminding her how different she is and how she dearly wants to fit in to her crazy family despite it being so weird and different. As if she _wanted _to different, in a twisted sort of way ...

Yeah, it was not only a sad night but a very puzzling one, too.

It was then when she just stopped blubbering and started to think. Being different was something to be favoured for, isn't it? If she's different from her family, she's favoured ... therefore still _different_. In, again, the most twisted kind of way.

She realised that night that a lot of things are in a twisted kind of way.

And Ted was only looking out for her, after all. His passion lies in knowledge, in the war, in the Defence Against the Dark Arts, his family, his deceased worshipped parents, and finally, what they shared – adventure. He'll never really understand the thrill of riding on a broom. He'll always ask why not go on by foot.

Thus starting her confusion over who she thought what exactly Teddy Lupin actually _was_, now that their personalities have changed since that day in her backgarden. But she guessed the feeling was mutual.


	3. 3 Tomato

**Thanks for the reviews, guys :)**

* * *

She's always liked the lake at Hogwarts. The ripples in the water, the reflection of the autumn trees ... it makes it feel like a dear memory she'll hold on forever, as poetic as it sounds. Her curiosity has never weakened over the years and she loves the way the lake is always a mystery of sorts. Apparently there's a squid and a couple of fishes here and there – she never was one for creatures – but it's never been clarified that it's completely safe.

So that's why she spends most of her free time here, at the lake. Sometimes she even brings down her homework to do if she feels brave enough. If it wasn't for the silent rule and the compact shelves of books she might even like the library, but its nature that draws her in again.

Of course, Ted has to come and ruin the peace.

'Hey Vic,' he greets, taking a seat next to her immediately. 'First trip to Hogsmeade's next week.'

She scrunches up her nose. 'You know that'll end up bad. Uncle George would just drag us in the shop to help.' And it's true. Her Uncle's a "nuisance", her grandma calls it, and even if it means she'll be late back at Hogwarts or the world will end, he'll persist.

Which sucks. But you know how family is.

'But it's your first trip!' he objects animatedly. 'You can't just ... _stay_.'

'Well, I feel quite content here with the squid.'

'The squid's hardly going to drink a butterbeer with you,' he comments.

She shrugs the "frankly-I-do-not-care" shrug with a quiet "hmm", which is known to annoy him.

'Vic, if you won't come, then I'll get James.'

'James?' she scoffs. 'Ted, he's eleven.'

'Ah,' he tutts. 'That's what they _want _you to think.'

She rolls her eyes. 'He's hardly going to pick me up and carry me down there.'

After realising what she said, her eyes widen at his smug smirk. Shaking her head, she adds sternly, 'Ted, no. You will _not _–'

But apparently he's not one to listen to her telling him off. In one swift move, he heaves her light and rather small body on to his shoulder and starts to carry her around the lake. As she laughs and protests, she can't help but notice that for a fifteen-year-old Ted is quite muscular.

Wait, stop.

Hold _up_.

We're clearly getting mixed up here, since Teddy Remus Lupin isn't ... isn't _muscular_. He's her best friend, not some hunky, hot, foxy, player, douche ... strong ...

_... and muscular ..._

How does he get those muscles, anyway? He doesn't even _like _sport in any stretch of the imagination. For him, jogging is the absolute limit.

She realises that she's been given this more thought that she gave herself credit for.

Maybe she _has _been thinking about it for a couple of weeks now, as shallow as it seems. But perhaps she purely is starting to gather the facts that she's just been refusing to acknowledge. Like when she'd argued with her father about tomatoes when he told her that they were a fruit.

Yes. Yes, that's it. Ted is clearly just a tomato.

Not a _strong_ tomato. Not a _muscular _tomato. Simply a tomato.


	4. 4 I Got You

**OH! I forgot the disclaimer thing on the ... yeah. I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, DESPITE MY REQUESTS ON MY CHRISTMAS WISH LIST.**

**There ya go. Can't guaruntee I'll remember it every time, though :D**

**Thanks for the reviews :)**

* * *

'If there's anything badass in here, it's her,' Ted tells her, nodding at a fellow seventh year. She has too much black eyeliner around her eyes and a permanent emotionless expression worn on her face. Her tie is hung loosely around her neck and she pops out her hip impatiently as she waits for a Hufflepuff to finish eating.

Beside him, Victoire scowls. 'By badass, you mean extremely suicidal looking.'

'Hey,' he warns her with what he hopes with a stern look, but he breaks it with a snort and laughs loudly when he looks at Victoire's face. He didn't think she was serious about Betty the Badass looking suicidal, but with one single glance she looks just like Fleur spotting a chip on the wall.

'What?' she snaps, gaining some quizzical looks from other Gryffindors.

'Your face,' he laughs loudly.

He's never seen his best friend pull that face so identically to her mother, even when she's making fun of Fleur behind her back – which is usually pretty good, being the talented impressionist she is. But this is practically –

_What if it wasn't on purpose? _

Teddy stops his laughter in realisation, staring at his food. The Gryffindors around him look as if he's about to explode in one foreboding moment. Even Victoire stops glaring and begins to brace herself.

'Ted?' a brave friend of his squeaks, jabbing a finger on his cheek. 'Are you ... are you OK?'

'Fine,' he croaks.

'Are you, um ... sure?' Victoire says unsurely. It's only a matter of time before it happens, before the volcano erupts –

With an almighty 'PAH' he bursts into unmanly fit of giggles, his hair changing into an even more purer turquoise than it usually is. It's almost blinding, but nobody seems to mind. Most of the house is laughing alongside him apart from a very unimpressed Weasley beside him. She lets out her signature humph and crosses her arms, looking at everything and everyone apart from Ted, but gradually she breaks a suppressed smile.

She hopes he doesn't notice that she's trying to hide the bubbles of laughter inside her, but to no avail:

'AHA!' exclaims Ted after about five seconds, shooting straight out of his seat and pointing at her face with an outstretched finger. He's grinning like a Cheshire cat – which he unknowingly makes a big pack of girls faint. 'I GOT YOU, VICTOIRE WEASLEY!'

Her eyes widen and her mouth drops to the floor, a fiery blush spreading across her cheeks. Was that what she thinks he said? _He's got me, he's got ME –_

'See, you can't resist that long, Weasley,' he teases and smiles. Despite her protests, she feels her ears get hot. 'Your face is just that funny.'

'Oh,' she says and expels a breath she didn't know she's holding. But even though she knows what his true meaning meant her ears and cheeks grow hotter with even _more _embarrassment. _He didn't even mean _that_._

Insert facepalm moment _HERE_.

'My George,' he gasps dramatically. 'Do I – do I see Victoire Weasley _blushing_?'

'I'm going to bed now,' she announces to him as she stands to leave, refusing to meet at his face.

'Oh, she is! Look at the ears!'

But she ignores his sudden interest in her embarrassed face and speed-walks out of the room, hearing his laughter even down the hallways.


End file.
